Betcha thought we were done talking about emojis around here, eh? Not so fast, Happy Meal. While one brand is busy attaching themselves to the too-cute digital pixels, another is furiously trying to unhook itself from an emoji it feels does not represent its image.
Alert readers (and avid texters) will have noticed that typing the word ‘Jeep’ into their iOS device automatically produced a blue blob of a thing as a suggested emoji replacement for that word. The most recent platform update erased this connection and Jeep is celebrating with a few words of their own.
According to spox for the brand, Jeep didn’t officially lobby to be unhitched from the emoji, one which Jeep thinks is not Trail Rated in any way, shape, or form. They have a bit of a minor point. After all, the blue … thing … that popped up has no business being conflated with a Wrangler, though one could argue it could’ve represented a ZJ Grand Cherokee that was left in the sun to melt for a few weeks then put in a taffy puller.
The emoji hasn’t disappeared with the new iOS update and still pops up as a suggested replacement for the word ‘car’ or ‘SUV’. Using ‘crossover’ does nothing, much as in real life.
This little blue emoji 🚙 is clearly not Trail Rated. So glad @Apple agrees and removed our name in the latest iOS update. #ThisIsNotJeep pic.twitter.com/RZ7uWPWffU
— Jeep (@Jeep) October 9, 2019
Jeep clapped back on social media after the emoji stopped being associated with their brand, producing a couple of quick videos highlighting their approval, complete with a hashtag declaring #ThisIsNotJeep. Peppered with Jeeps doing Jeepy things, the main message is one of reinforcing the brand’s off-road cred.
On the flip side, Ford was the architect of a successful campaign to get a pickup truck emoji on next year’s shortlist of new characters. The Unicode Consortium, which is a real thing that oversees emoji development despite sounding like a villainous organization on Star Trek, hasn’t yet formally approved the inclusion of the blue pickup but will likely do so sometime in the next calendar year.
Your author hopes this is the last time he scribes about emojis on an automotive site. More 700+ horsepower widebody Chargers, please.
[Image: FCA]
“Your author hopes this is the last time he scribes about emojis on an automotive site.”
Don’t bet on it.
“The Unicode Consortium, which is a real thing that oversees emoji development despite sounding like a villainous organization on Star Trek”
“The other vessel is on an intercept course, sir.”
“On screen! Lieutenant! Can you identify that configuration?”
“It’s not in the database, sir.”
“…Captain! I know that ship! On our away mission to Zeta Prime – it’s the Unicode Consortium, I’m sure of it!”
“Raise shields! Red alert!”
Message to the Unicode Consortium: please get lives.
Yes, because when you enter “Jeep” the emoji of a wrench or a car dealership should show up. :)
Jeep’s position on this would be more tenable had they not introduced multiple non-Jeeps over the past several years. My family enjoys pointing out “fake Jeeps” seen on the road.
Most of those “fake Jeeps” still have soft-road capability and each has a ‘TrailHawk’ or equivalent model that has pretty much off-road cred, including the Renegade. Go visit toasterjeep dot com.
The blue emoji does look a bit like a Renegade
I wonder what emoji Apple suggests when you type “Taiwan” or “Hong Kong”.